Ship your car abroad with the export papers handled
In short
We export cars, motorcycles and light commercial vehicles from the UAE by container or RoRo. The certificate of export cancels the UAE registration, which must happen before the vehicle can leave, and we handle it along with customs. Container shipping suits valuable or classic cars; RoRo is cheaper for standard vehicles.
Shipping a car out of the UAE is less about the sea crossing than about two pieces of paper: the export certificate that cancels your local registration, and whatever the destination country demands before it will let a right-hand or left-hand drive vehicle onto its roads. Get those wrong and the car sits at a port accruing storage.
Container or RoRo — which should I choose?
RoRo means the vehicle is driven onto a dedicated car-carrier vessel and parked on a deck. It is the cheaper option and perfectly safe for an ordinary road car, but the vehicle must be running and drivable, and you cannot pack anything inside it. A container means the car is strapped inside a steel box, protected from weather and handling, and it can travel with a modest amount of personal effects if the destination permits. Classic, modified and high-value cars go in containers; a five-year-old family SUV usually does not need to.
What happens to my UAE registration?
It has to be cancelled. The licensing authority issues a certificate of export, you surrender the number plates, and the vehicle leaves the UAE system. Two things commonly block this: an outstanding bank loan against the car, which needs a clearance letter from the finance provider, and unpaid traffic fines, which must be settled first. Both take days rather than hours, so start them before you book a sailing rather than after.
Our process
Documents
Registration card, passport and any finance clearance collected.
Deregister
Export certificate issued and plates handed back.
Load
Vehicle inspected, photographed, braced and loaded.
Clear and collect
Destination customs cleared and the vehicle released to you.
What affects the price
| Container vs RoRo | RoRo is usually cheaper; a container protects better and can be shared. |
|---|---|
| Vehicle size | A large SUV occupies more of a container than a hatchback. |
| Destination duty | Often calculated on the vehicle value and engine size, and can exceed the freight. |
| Compliance work | Lighting, emissions or homologation changes required by the destination. |
| Port storage | Charged daily once free time expires, so paperwork delays are expensive. |
Frequently asked questions
Can I pack belongings inside the car?
Only in a container, and only where the destination country allows it. RoRo carriers prohibit it outright. Even in a container many customs authorities treat loose items as an undeclared separate shipment, so anything inside must appear on the packing list with a value against it.
How long does car shipping take?
Allow two to four weeks to Europe, one to two to India or East Africa, and a few days by road within the GCC. The paperwork before departure — deregistration, finance clearance and customs — usually takes about a week and is the part people underestimate.
Can I ship a car that is still financed?
Not until the finance is settled and the bank issues a no-objection or clearance letter. The licensing authority will not cancel the registration while a lien is recorded against the vehicle, and without cancellation the export certificate cannot be issued.
Do you ship motorcycles and quad bikes?
Yes. Motorcycles are usually crated or shared into a container with other vehicles, which keeps the cost down. The same export certificate and customs process applies as for a car, and fuel tanks must be drained before loading.
Will my car need modifications at the destination?
Sometimes. Countries differ on headlight beam pattern, rear fog lamps, speedometer units, emissions standards and the age of vehicle they will admit at all. Several ban imports over a set age outright. Check the rule for your destination before you ship, because a non-compliant car can be refused entry.
Get a free quote
A free survey and a fixed written price before you commit to anything.